Endless coil magazine and container



March 10, 1953 w, c, EDDY 2,631,034

ENDLESS COIL MAGAZINE AND CONTAINER Filed Dec. 14, 1949 2 SI-lEETS-SI-IEET l ,2; INVEN TOR.

ififmaw M6349 ATTORNEYS.

March 10, 1953 w. c. EDDY 2,631,034

ENDLESS con, MAGAZINE AND CONTAINER Filed D60. 14, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 ,f gafi 28 3Z -I- 32 l I I i a 1' e.

--26- r HIM, I HI-- I I W W MI W W v INVENTOR.

M %z%km fiw azd 5% ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 10, v1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENDLESS COIL MAGAZINE ANDOONTAI NER William Crawford Eddy, Michigan City, 11111., as-

signor to Television Associates, End, Michigan City, Ind., a corporation of Illinois Application December 14, 1949, Serial No. 132,895

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved magazine containing an endless coil of film and to the container portion thereof. The magazine of the present invention is particularly suitable for use with the compression type film reel disclosed and claimed in my patent application S. N. 132,896, filed December 14, 1949, entitled Compression Type Endless Film Reel.

One of the principal problems associated with endless film coils arises out of the diiiiculty of handling these coils. While the complete film magazine, including the film guiding rollers, can be used for storage and shipment, the cost of the magazine is very great and the film guiding rollers serve no useful purpose except during the time the film is actually in operation. lhis difdculty is particularly acute in the case of mechanisms intended for home use where the expense of a library of complete film magazines is prohibitive.

In accordance with the present invention the film coil is stored and shipped in a simple con tainer of cardboard or like material. When it is desired to use the film, the container or box is bodily placed on a suitable compression type film reel. The box incorporates elements operative to hold the film in predetermined position to receive the film guide members of the compression type film reel so that no hand manipulation of the film is required. Consequently the film reel is available for use with any film in the library.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a magazine for endless film coils that does not include film guiding rollers and a container for use therewith.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magazine for endless film coils that may be received on a compression type reel without hand manipulation and a container for use therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shipping container for endless type film coils.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, rugged, light weight, and inexpensive container for endless film coils that protects the same against mechanical damage and forms a complete enclosure about the film coil to prevent the entrance of moisture, tropical fungus, or other deteriorating agents.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container for endless film coils that does not hold the film in any substantial degree of flexure to the end that no permanent set is imparted to any point on the film.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a film container constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention with the film coil in place;

Figure 2 is a view like Figure l with the cover of the container folded back; 7

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a complete film shipping container constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a developed view of the container of Figures 1 and 2; V

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the container of Figures 1, 2 and 4 in place in a compression type film reel;

Figure 6 is a. view in perspective of the container of Figures 1 and 2 seated in the compression type film reel and in position for closure of the film reel;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the container of the present invention; and,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the center post of the container of Figure 7 secures the leaving portion of the film in place.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown at It an endless coil of film. As shown, the inner periphery of the coil extends up in the leaving or issuing portion Illa which passes outside the container 12 to form a loop Hlb. The end of the loop Nib enters the container to form the entering or take-up portion Hie which becomes the outer periphery of the film coil.

The container I2 is of cardboard or similar material. It has a substantially rectangular bottom l2a, Figures 2 and 4, surrounded by four sides, i2b, lZc, [2d, and IZe, which are folded up as shown in Figure 2 to define a box. Tabs I2 are provided to receive glue and anchor the sides in an upright position.

The side [2c of the container extends beyond the thickness of the container as shown at Figure 4. This defines the top 12g when folded along line I2h which is the edge between side we and top l2g. A crease I22 is provided to facilitate folding the top when the container is in place on the filmreel.

The side lid is cutshort at edge I29 to define an aperture when-folded up. This aperture receives the entering portion of the film coil is as shown clearly in Figures -1 and 2. Since the tangent to the outer periphery of the coil is parallel to the side 12c atthe pointthe-entering portion of the film meets the 0011, the aperture defined by side lzdislproperlyoriented .toreceive the film without twist or -bend.

. In. the embodiment of Figuresi to 4.,"the box has a slot in the side He. This slot is indicated at l2lc and extends in a direction nearly parallel to the bottom Illa. The slot may be readily cut with a knife or scissors and snugly receives the leaving portion of the film Illa.

Since the slot 12k snugly receives the film Illa, the film is held in position when the top 129' is folded back to the position shown in Figure 1. The slot is placed near the center of the side i2e so that as the portion 50a of the film is held by the slot, that portion of the film is held in spaced relation with respect to the inner periphery of the film coil 10. As will be further described hereafter, this positions the film to receive the compression type film reel without further manipulation of the film.

The box may be conveniently secured in the closed position by a sealing tape M, Figure l, or other suitable means.

When the film'containing box of Figures 1, 2 and 4 is shipped or otherwise subjected to mechanical shock and vibration, it may be placed in a container such as that shown in Figure 3. As shown, this container has a rectangular bottom is surrounded by four sides 18a, I81), 180, and lild. The bottom and the sides 8b, 180 and 18d are formed to receive the film box snugly as shown. The side [8a is in spaced relation with the side i2c of the film box to define a space 29 in conjunction therewith. This space receives the film loop Nib that lies outside the confines of the box I2.

The box I2 is held in predetermined space relation with the side I811 of the shipping container by the spacer 20. This spacer may be a block of light wood or, preferably, is formed by folding a piece of cardboard to fit snugly in the available space and thereby prevent relative movement of the box i2 and the shipping container.

The shipping container has a top 22 formed like the bottom 16 and shown broken away in the view of Figure 3.

It will be observed that when the film is in the box 12 and the shipping container shown in Figure 3, it is protected against mechanical shock and vibration as well as the ingress of dampness and other agents that might promote deterioration. Moreover, the film is held in a coil H3 having the desired degree of tightness and an external loop lilb suitable for threading through the head of a magnetic recorder or reproducer, the stylus mechanism of a mechanical recorder, or reproducer or the gate mechanism of a motion picture camera or projector.

A further feature of the box 12 resides in the ease with which it may be inserted in a compression type film reel for operation. This is shown in Figures and 6 which show the box and film inserted in a compression type film reel of the type shown and claimed in my copending patent application, S. N. 132,896, filed December 14, 19%9, entitled Compression Type Endless Film Reel.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the compression type film reel has a rectangular bottom plate 24 upon which the box l2 rests. Three sides 26a, 2%, and 260 extend upwardly from this bottom to define a snug seat in which the box 12 fits. The rear side 2% is hinged at 28 and carries the top 30.

The top 3E: is defined by a pair of spaced plates 32 and 3 i, the latter being below the former when the top is in the closed position shown in Figure 5. The plate 32 has a pair of opposed depending skirt portions 32a that mate with the upper edges of the sides 26a and 260 when the top is in the closed position of Figure 5. The plate 32 is also bent down to define the curved surface 321) and the sidedefining skirt 320. When the top 30 is in closed position the side 32c overlies the side PM of the box l2. This completes the closure about the box and holds it firmly in position. An upstanding tab 27 with an aperture 21a extends upwardly from the bottom 24 of the film reel. This registers with the handle 25 formed on the side 320 of the top and with the dimple 25a which extends outwardly from the surface of the side. When the cover 30 is closed, the dimple 25a snaps into the opening 21a to secure it releasably in the closed position.

A central guide roller 34 and a pair of spaced film coil guide rollers 36 and 38 depend from the plates 32 and 3d. When the top is closed, these rollers are in their closely spaced or retracted positions shown in Figure 6. They accordingly fit easily within the confines of the film coil Hi. When the cover is thus closed, the operating arm .9 is rocked to the operative position where the rollers 34, 36, and 33 expand to grip the film coil It snugly and guide the film for winding.

The mechanism for expanding the rollers 34, 3t, and 38 in response to the movement of arm it] is shown and described in my oopending patent application S. N. 132,896, filed December 14, 1949, entitled Compression Type Endless Film Reel.

When the cover 38 is closed, the roller 35 must pass between the leaving portion of the film, Ida, and the inner periphery of the coil id. Since the slot 12k holds this portion of the film in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the coil, the roller fits in position without rearranging or holding the film in any way. This is a great practical advantage because the film is very difiicult to handle and cannot be manipulated by inexperienced persons without risk of unwinding the whole film and converting it to a hopeless tangle.

When the cover 36 is snapped closed, the portion lilc of the film is withdrawn from the slot 12k to permit free withdrawal of the film in response to the demands of the film using device.

While the box i2 is on the compression type reel, the film is held in spaced relation to the bottom of the box by the ribs G2 that extend upwardly from the bottom 2 of the reel. The bottom of the box is apertured at 44 to receive these ribs. Since the coil id rests on the smooth ribs and. in the rough bottom of the box, the frictional opposition to coil rotation is only the relatively small opposition associated with the smooth ribs.

The compression type film reel is preferably mounted on a suitable stand 45, Figure 5. This stand is not shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 5 the film loop 10b is shown passing through the gate mechanism of a motion picture projector, shown generally at 18. It will, of course, be understood that this is only illustrative and that the film may be threaded through other film using devices, such as a motion picture camera, the head of a magnetic recorder or reproducer, or the stylus of a mechanical recorder or reproducer. As the film is withdrawn from the inner periphery of the coil it, the coil is rotated to take up the film on the outer periphery of the coil, thus taking up the slack as it is re leased from the film using device.

Figures 7 and 8 show a modification of the box 12. In this modification the side I26 is notched out at 12k to define an opening that freely receives the leaving portion of the film. However, this portion of the film is held in spaced relation to the inner periphery of the film coil It by the upstanding post 513 which is formed by cutting out a centrally disposed U-shaped portion of bottom 12a and bending it up as shown. The post Ed has a pair of oppositely directed inwardly extending slots 523a.

As shown in Figure 8, the oppositely directed slots 58a receive the opposite edges of the leaving portion lea of the film. The triangular tabs on the side of the post 59 fiex outwardly to hold the film securely in place without substantially fiexing the film. Since the post is disposed centrally of the container, the leaving portion of the film, lilo, is held in spaced relation relative to the inner periphery of the coil and permits the cover at of the compression type film reel to be swung into position without manipulating the film, The portion lilo of the film can then be withdrawn from the slots Eta to permit free film motion in response to the demands of the associated film using device.

The form of the box it shown in Figure 7 also differs from the form in Figures 1 to 6 in having a pair of film retaining fiaps 52 and an extrascored portion as for folding the top i2g.

In this specification I have identified the portion Ito of the film as the leaving portion because the film is normally withdrawn from the center of the coil :0. Similarly, the portion lilc of the film is designated as the entering portion, since the film is normally wound on the outside of the coil.

In the present specification I have used the term magazine to denote the combination of the film box i2 or E2 and the film contained therein.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of the present invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto and that by the appended claims I intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A container for an endless film coil havin a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the container, comprising a box adapted to receive the coil having an aperture adjacent one corner to receive the entering portion of the coil, and a film retainer attached to the box operative to secure the leaving portion of the coil in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the coil whereby a space for accommodating a guide member is provided between said leaving portion and said inner periphery, facilitating insertion of said container into a reel provided with such a guide member.

2. A container for an endless film coil having a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the container, comprising a box adapted to receive the coil having an aperture adjacent one corner to receive the entering portion of the coil, and a post extending upward from the bottom of the box near the center thereof adapted releasably to receive the leaving portion of the coil to secure it in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the coil whereby a space for accommodating a guide member is provided between said leaving portion and said inner periphery, facilitating insertion of said container into a reel provided with such a guide member.

3. A container for an endless film coil having a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the container, comprising a box having a bottom and side walls adapted to receive the coil and having an aperture to receive the entering portion of the coil, one side of the box having a slot nearly parallel with the bottom of the box and extending inwardly from one edge thereof, the slot being adapted to receive the leaving portion of the coil snugly to secure the same in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the coil whereby a space for accommodating a guide member is provided between said leaving portion and said inner periphery, facilitating insertion of said container into a reel provided with such a guide member.

4. A container for an endless film coil having a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the container, comprising a box of cardboard or the like having a bottom and side walls adapted to receive the coil, one side wall having an aperture to receive the entering portion of the coil, a portion or" the bottom defining a centrally disposed upstanding post with spaced oppositely directed inwardly extending slots adapted to secure the leaving portion of the film releasably in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the coil whereby a space for accommodating a guide member is provided between said leaving portion and said inner periphery, facilitating insertion of said container into a reel provided with such a guide member.

5. A film magazine comprising a box having a bottom and side walls surrounding the bottom, an endless film coil in the box, said coil having a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the magazine, the box defining two apertures, one oriented substantially parallel to the film in the coil and the other oriented substantially transverse to the film in the coil, the entering portion of the coil passing through said one aperture and the leaving portion passing through said other aperture, the box defining elements operative to hold the leaving portion of the film in spaced relation with the inner periphery of the CO1 6. A film magazine comprising a box having a bottom and side Walls surrounding the bottom, an endless film coil received in the box, said coil having a loop connecting the inner and outer peripheries of the coil and extending outside the confines of the magazine, the sides having an aperture substantially parallel to the film in the coil and a slot nearly parallel to the bottom extending inwardly from one edge, the entering portion of the coil passing through the aperture and the leaving portion of the coil being received snugly in the slot releasably to secure the leaving portion in spaced relation with the inner periphcry of the coil.

WILLIAM CRAWFORD EDDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

